MMX

Martian Moon eXploration

Mission Profile

MMX (Martian Moon eXploration) is JAXA's flagship planetary science mission designed to visit both of Mars's moons, Phobos and Deimos, and return a sample of Phobos material to Earth for laboratory analysis. Launched in 2024 and planned for arrival at Mars in 2025, the spacecraft carries a suite of instruments from JAXA, NASA, ESA, and CNES to characterize the composition, internal structure, and origin of the Martian moons — which may be captured asteroids or impact ejecta from Mars. If Phobos material contains pristine carbonaceous material, the MMX sample could provide unprecedented insight into the early solar system's volatile chemistry. The mission will also deploy a small rover contributed by CNES and DLR onto Phobos's surface.